#073: Use AI and Software to Augment Your Sales Team

Read time: 5 minutes

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Sales reps in life sciences often get bogged down with tasks that have nothing to do with selling.

In this article, we’re breaking down how modern tools and tech can help your team cut out the busy work. We’ll explore a variety of solutions, from databases to AI agents, that let your reps focus on finding new leads and closing deals.

Whether it’s through automating research or keeping CRM data up to date, we’ve got you covered with practical ideas and inspirational workflows. If you’re feeling overwhelmed by all the choices, don’t worry. This guide is here to help you sort through the noise and pick the best options for your team.

The Burden of Non-Selling Tasks

Sales reps often spend too much time on non-selling activities such as:

• Manually updating CRM records and logging meeting notes

• Building and validating contact lists

• Researching accounts and leads

• Attending endless internal meetings and training sessions

• Handling customer support and servicing equipment

• Completing expense reports and managing travel arrangements

• Scheduling follow-up calls and emails

• Processing administrative paperwork and report generation

• Keeping track of data entry errors and outdated information

When your team is stuck doing these tasks, there’s little time left for what really matters: finding new opportunities and closing deals.

The Ultimate GTM Tool: Clay.com

Clay.com is a versatile platform that empowers non-coders to create powerful custom automation workflows. You can integrate dozens of tools and services, linking them together to execute nearly any idea you have. Whether you're looking to streamline your data processes or connect disparate systems, Clay gives you the coding-like power to build a unified, efficient tech stack.

The only downside is there is a learning curve. Because you can build anything, it’s hard to come up with the ideas and how to build them. Luckily there are lots of resources and videos to help. (Succession can also help)

Use Cases:

• Workflow Integration: Easily connect your favorite apps and services to create seamless, automated workflows. Feels like you have coding superpowers but no coding is required.

• Data Aggregation: Pull data from multiple sources into one centralized system, making it simple to enrich your leads and update your CRM.

• Custom Automation: Build tailored solutions that automate repetitive tasks, freeing up your team to focus on high-impact selling activities.

Database Tools

Use Cases:

• Discovering detailed information on biotech and pharmaceutical companies

• Enriching lead data for targeted outreach

• Building accurate and actionable contact lists

Tools to Consider:

• SciLeads – Offers deep insights into companies in academia and pharma.

• Zymwire – Provides tailored data and analytics for life sciences.

• BiopharmIQ – Delivers market trend data and leads.

• Apollo – A broad tool for compiling and managing contact lists.

• LinkedIn Sales Navigator – Helps identify and connect with key decision-makers.

AI First CRMs

Not always possible to switch CRMs but if you’re about to choose one, don’t default to Salesforce or Hubspot, look into whats new first.

Use Cases:

• Organizing customer data for easy access

• Reducing time spent on manual data entry

• Enhancing team collaboration and follow-up

Tools to Consider:

• Attio – A flexible CRM that keeps your data organized and accessible.

• Scratchpad – Makes Salesforce not suck… Works with Salesforce to simplify data entry and follow-up tasks.

Sequencing Tools for Scale

If you don’t have a sequencing tool for your sales team, you’re literally a decade behind in letting your team work efficiently.

Use Cases:

• Sending the right email at the right time

• Managing multi-step outreach campaigns

• Keeping prospects engaged throughout the sales process

New Sequencers:

• Smartlead.ai – Automates personalized email sequences at scale.

• Instantly.ai – Streamlines and scales email outreach efficiently.

Older, Still Effective Sequencers:

• Outreach.io – Manages multi-step email campaigns with robust tracking.

• SalesLoft – Helps coordinate and optimize outreach efforts.

• Apollo.io – Doubles as a sequencing tool along with database features.

Call Recording Tools

If you’re not recording calls you really should be… Most customers don’t actually care and you worry about it more than they do.

Use Cases:

• Recording calls for later review and training

• Automatically transcribing and summarizing conversations

• Highlighting key points and action items from sales calls

Tools to Consider:

• Otter.ai – Transcribes calls and saves searchable notes.

• Fathom.ai – Records calls and identifies important discussion points.

• Google Meet – Even Google meet now includes call recording and note-taking capabilities for free.

AI Models

Use Cases: Too many to count but here are a few…

• Drafting personalized outreach messages

• Analyzing market trends and competitive insights

• Sifting through large datasets to uncover hidden opportunities

Tools to Consider:

• OpenAI – Offers versatile language models for content creation and analysis.

• Claude – Provides advanced natural language processing.

• DeepSeek – Searches through massive datasets for actionable insights.

• Perplexity – Answers questions and breaks down complex data.

Automation Tools

Use Cases:

• Connecting different apps to streamline workflows

• Automating routine tasks like data entry and scheduling

• Ensuring that follow-ups and updates happen automatically

Tools to Consider:

• Zapier – Links your favorite apps to automate workflows effortlessly.

• Make – Provides visual tools to design custom automation.

• n8n – An open-source platform to build automated tasks without coding.

Additional Categories of Tools

Tools to Consider:

• Clari – Offers AI-driven forecasting and analytics for sales teams.

• Proposify – Quickly create, track, and sign proposals.

• Highspot - Sales enablement platform to train, coach, and provide all marketing content right at your rep’s fingertips.

• SparkReceipt - Automate all your expense tracking

• Calendly - Meeting booking, scheduling, and lead routing

AI Agents: The Future of Sales

What Are AI Agents?
AI agents are systems that combine automation workflows with advanced AI models. They can perform complex tasks that normally require human intervention, freeing your team from repetitive work. Imagine having a digital assistant who not only schedules your meetings but also prepares you with detailed background info, transcribes your calls, and even follows up with prospects—all without you having to lift a finger.

AI Agent Workflows: There are dozens more but this should get the inspirational juices flowing about what’s possible

• Inbound Lead Scheduling and Prep:
  An AI agent can watch your website, emails, and social media for incoming leads. Once a lead shows interest, the agent automatically qualifies it, books an appointment, and gathers essential background information. Your rep walks into the call fully prepared, without spending hours researching beforehand.

• Automated Call Notes and CRM Updates:
  Right after a call, the agent transcribes the conversation, summarizes key points, and updates your CRM with vital details. It also drafts a follow-up email personalized to the discussion, so your rep can focus on the next big opportunity rather than on note-taking.

• Cold Deal Revival:
  When a deal goes quiet, the AI agent analyzes past interactions to understand potential reasons for disengagement. It then sends a thoughtful re-engagement email to revive interest, giving your rep a fresh chance to reconnect without manually tracking every stalled opportunity.

• Continuous Account & Lead Research:
  The AI agent monitors industry news, press releases, clinical trial announcements, and funding updates. Once it spots a relevant trigger, it automatically researches the account, enriches the lead data, and even drafts a personalized outreach message. This keeps your pipeline full of current opportunities without any extra legwork.

• Always-On Prospecting:
  Unlike humans, AI agents can work around the clock. They scan multiple data sources and social media channels to spot new leads based on real-time signals. When a promising prospect is found, the agent initiates contact with a tailored message, ensuring that your sales pipeline stays active 24/7.

• Multi-Threading Deals:
  For any deal entered into your CRM, the AI agent digs deeper to find additional stakeholders involved in the decision-making process. It collects their contact details and social insights, allowing your rep to reach out to all relevant parties quickly and efficiently.

• CRM Data Enrichment:
  Over time, CRM data can become outdated. AI agents can automatically audit your CRM on a regular schedule, correct errors, and update information to ensure that your records remain accurate and useful.

• Event Follow-up:
  Imagine if you could book meetings while at events so you don’t get ghosted. What if you could instantly follow up with those people with personalized information from your conversation so they remember who you are? What if you didn’t spend the next 2 weeks manually following up with those leads only to get no response? This can all be automated with AI Agents.

These AI agent workflows represent what’s possible today. They’re not just futuristic ideas, they’re practical solutions that can transform your sales process. With the right AI agents in place, your team can spend less time on busy work and more time doing the human elements of sales: building strong connections with people and closing deals.

In Summary

This article has covered a variety of tools designed to remove non-selling tasks from your sales reps’ daily routines. From databases to sequencing, call recording, and automation tools, each solution is aimed at freeing up your team’s time.

However, the biggest value now and in the future will be AI agents that can complete complex workflows for your sales team, automatically. Turning repetitive tasks into automated processes that keep your pipeline full, your data current and sales reps happily hitting quota.

If you want to explore these possibilities and build a tech stack that truly empowers your sales reps, Succession can help. Book a Strategy Call and we can talk through what would work best for your unique situations and workflows.

1. Lead Generation: We’ll build target lists, write scientifically relevant messaging, and send messages on your behalf to book qualified sales meetings with biotech and pharma companies.

2. Training for Reps: A skill development platform for life science sales reps who want to improve their sales skills, exceed their quota, and take the next step in their career.

3. Training for Teams: If you want to upskill your team around prospecting, driving to close, key account management, AI, or any other topic, we can put together a training plan specific to your organization’s needs.

4. Strategy Call: Need more than training? Want help implementing and executing your sales strategy? In a 30-minute call, we will assess your company’s current situation and identify growth opportunities.